Moms
by battlingbard
Summary: Could be considered a companion piece to Story Telling but it isn't a necessary read. Short fluffy fic.


"What is taking you so long?" Xena asked, exasperated. She had been covering her eyes for a good five minutes now and had to admit to herself that she was getting quite impatient. It didn't help that her feet were sore from all the walking today and she had a headache from the visit her and Gabrielle had with the blonde's parents earlier that day. The atmosphere between her and Gabrielle's parents had always felt strained, and even more so now since she's with child.

Gabrielle's nervous voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.

"Oh-Okay Xena, you can uncover your eyes now." She said, holding the baby sling in her arms. It had been hell to try to come up with an excuse to leave Xena for an hour or so to double back and get it, and it had made it even worse knowing that Xena and the baby were still a target and she would be leaving them unprotected. All of her fears were put to rest by the look on Xena's face. She knew she had done the right thing.

"Gabrielle." Xena said in awe as her eyes teared up. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. Whatever the situation, whether good or bad, she would find herself crying at the drop of a hat. She could keep back the smile on her face as she made her way over to her blonde and the sling.

"Do you like it?" Gabrielle asked, still unsure due to the tears now shimmering in the tall woman's eyes.

Ever since the two of them had learned of the pregnancy thing had been off to a rocky start. Both of their fears only having been recently assuaged once Xena cause Gabrielle telling stories to the baby during the middle of the night.

She reached out her hand, rubbing the fabric between her fingers.

"Where did it come from? We… Don't have any dinars left really, how did you afford this?" she asked, stepping a bit closer to pick up the sling from Gabrielle's hands for further examination. She was in love with the intricate patterns and colorful designed stitched all throughout the fabric.

"It was mine." She said, smiling slightly at the memory.

* * *

_Gabrielle's mother had stopped her on her way out the door._

_"I know it may not seem like much but I have something to give you for the baby. Things between Xena and your father and I, I know they have always been troublesome but I would like to try to make it right." She said, looking down, ashamed of her past behavior towards the woman of her daughter's heart._

_"Mother you don't have to give us anything, we're fine." She said softly. "I'm just glad that you want to make things right. You're the only family I have besides Xena."_

_Her mother pulled out a sling from a chest that was sitting against the back wall of the room._

_"This was yours." She said, handing it over the blonde. "I think it would only be right for your child to have it as well." She stated, and earnest look in her eyes. "Please, I insist."_

_Gabrielle couldn't believe this was happening. It was what she had always wanted. Smiling from ear to ear she pulled her mother into a bone-crushing hug._

_"I love you mother." She pulled back a bit, her mother wearing a very similar grin herself._

_"Love you too, my sweet child." The older woman's voice cracked slightly and cleared her throat, holding the sling out to her once again. "Here."_

_At that moment Gabrielle couldn't help but think of a plan._

_"Do you think I could come back in an hour or so and get it? I would like to surprise Xena with it." She said, still not being able to wipe the smile off of her face._

_Her mother nodded, understanding what her daughter was wanting to do. Gabrielle always was the romantic._

_"I'll see you soon." Gabrielle said, pulling her mother into another long hug, then running after Xena._

* * *

Xena looked up at that.

"How did you get it? You didn't have it when we-"suddenly the bard's earlier disappearance made sense. "Oh you're so sneaking." she said, chuckling and shaking her head, causing Gabrielle to smile in return.

"You forget that I have a great teacher."

Xena leaned down, kissing Gabrielle on the lips. After a few moments she pulled back, her brow creased in thought.

"Gabrielle are you sure?" She still couldn't help but worry and wasn't sure whether it was due to her being pregnant or what.

At that question a serious look came over Gabrielle's face.

"Of course I'm sure. Our baby deserves the best, and nothing says family like having her use the same sling that held me when I was a child, right?" she asked, wrapping her arms around Xena's neck.

Xena couldn't help but smile. Gabrielle always seemed to surprise her with things like this. By now you would think that the taller woman would be able to predict the bards every move. But, after these years, the bard was still so full of surprising. Xena would never get tired of that.

"So we're really gonna be moms, huh?" Xena asked, it still hitting her sometimes that she will be raising a child with her soulmate soon.

The shorter woman looked up at her with a smile that made her nose crinkle. Her dreams were coming true and she had to pinch herself every now and then to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"We're gonna be moms." She said dreamily.


End file.
